Our Verdict

The Exped SynMat Hyperlite, the 12oz lighter weight cousin of the SynMat 7, posesses an awesome set of features sure to please mountaineers, minimalists, and ultralight hikers. Though we still consider the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite to be the top lightweight pad amongst all the contenders, the Hyperlite holds its own, boasting similar specs and performing comparably across the board. The Hyperlite is less noisy, but has smaller dimensions, and is a little less comfortable. If you're buying pads for two, you'll definitely want to check out the Duo version of this pad that essentially merges two of these pads side by side for a two-person sleep system that weighs just 28 ounces. Continue reading to see how the Hyperlite compares with other top pads.

Updated version
The Synmat Hyperlite has been spruced up a bit. See the photo above for the latest version, and keep reading below to see what's up with the newest version!

Compare to Similar Products

Our Analysis and Test Results

The New Synmat Hyperlite vs the Older Version

The Synmat has seen a couple updates this year, namely the inclusion of the Schnozzel Pumpbag UL and the anti-slip Grip Skin on the surface of the mat. The price also increased ten bucks, but is expected to drop back down in Spring of 2018. The new version of the Synmat Hyperlite is shown below on the left, whereas the older version that we reviewed is pictured next to it on the right.

Schnozzel Pumpbag UL — Exped now includes the Schnozzel Pumpbag UL with this mat, which helps the user inflate the mat without getting winded. Simply let the Pumpbag fill with air, attach it to the nozzle on your mat and apply pressure to let this handy accessory do all the work.

Grip Skin — This mat now boasts an anti-slip Grip Skin, helping you stay on your mat instead of playing slip and slide in your sleeping bag.

Price increase — Exped raised the price $10 with these improvements, but confirmed with us that the price would be dropping back down to the original $169 in the upcoming seasons due to efficiencies in manufacturing.

We haven't taken this new version out for a test drive yet, but we expect it to perform similarly to the version we tested last year. The rest of the text in this review represents our initial testing period with the Synmat Hyperlite.

Hands-On Review

The Hyperlite is a performance-driven pad that climbed pretty high in the lineup. It is lightweight and warm enough for three seasons of use. We appreciate the tightly packed size and loved bringing it into the backcountry.

The XTherm was one of the better mats for floating down the river. In fact, it was a top performer in almost all of our tests. We highly recommend our Editors' Choice winner!

Comfort

Compared with foam or lightweight self-inflating pads, the Hyperlite shines as a comfortable alternative. Two-inch thick longitudinal baffles provide plenty of cushioning, support, and bumpy ground absorption. Like the REI AirRail 1.5, this Exped pad has slightly elevated side rails give just enough rise to help keep the mat under you, but not so much as to make it uncomfortable to sleep on your side like they do on the AirRail.

The tapering of the Hyperlite feels much more aggressive than other lightweight pads like the Sea to Summit Ultralight or Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite. The narrow foot-box and overall slender feel of the pad was the primary complaint among our testers. If you're craving a lightweight tent shelter, then this could be a great bonus for you! Lastly, we wish that the baffles gave a smoother surface like they do on the Exped SynMat 7. Nitpicking aside, the Hyperlite is sufficiently comfortable for the needs of ultralight hikers and is competitive with other lightweight sleeping pads.

Be sure to check out the Medium Wide and Long Wide versions!

The aggressively tapered design of the Hyperlite was the biggest complaint with the pad. This caused it to dip in the comfort metric.

Weight and Packed Size

Tipping the scale at 12.3 ounces, the Hyperlite lives up to its name. The only other pad we reviewed that packs as much warmth and comfort into a package this small is the Top Pick for Ultralight winning XTherm that is just a hair lighter and a little more comfortable. Beyond that, the two pads are fairly comparable and either is an excellent pick for folks looking to trim down their base weight for demanding objectives. If you're really looking to push the limits of weight, consider trimming down a foam pad like the Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest SOLite or picking up the radical Klymit Inertia X Frame that weighs a scant 9.1 ounces. However, for most people who aspire to the minimalist style, the Hyperlite is a superb choice with fairly limited pitfalls.

If you need to save space in your pack, the Hyperlite is the ticket! This pad rolls up small so you can fill your pack with other stuff.

Warmth

Boasting an R-value of 3.3, the Hyperlite is warm enough for three season use and can be pushed into the snow if necessary. Synthetic insulation bonded to the top and bottom of the pad proved warm and effective when used for spring snow camping. As with any pad, you can easily put clothing or a foam pad underneath to boost your cumulative resistance to conductive heat loss.

We used this Exped pad in the early spring and even on snow! Our tester reports remaining warm thought the night. We are quite impressed with this pad's cold weather performance especially given its low weight.

Ease of Inflation

The Hyperlite's one-way inflation valve makes inflating the pad quick and easy. Deflating basically requires you to jam something in the one way valve to prop it open, and for this reason we greatly preferred the valves on the Sea to Summit Ultralight for their ability to deflate with ease.

The one way valve (which fell out during testing) made inflating easy! Deflating is done by using a toggle to pry open the valve.

Durability

The pad's 20 denier outer fabric is less substantial than the nylon used on other pads. Still, we used it throughout the summer directly on the ground and abused it greatly without any tears or pin holes. Should you run into trouble of this sort, they include a patch kit ready to mend the pad back to working order. Though we didn't have this issue, we found one review online where a dog's paws lacerated right through the pad's top fabric. As with most lightweight gear, reduced weight and packed size come at the expense of durability. You can always add a small piece of Tyvex or an emergency blanket for some increased puncture resistance.

For a pad as lightweight as this, we were really impressed with its durability. A summer spent guiding with the pad directly on the ground produced no punctures.

Best Applications

The Hyperlite excels for fast and light pursuits where you want comfort without sacrificing precious ounces. Use it for alpine climbing, three season backpacking, and thru-hiking. The lack of durability and aggressive tapering at the foot make it a poor choice for regular car camping.

Value

The medium size we tested retails for $179, making it $20 more than the XLite that we liked better overall. For this reason, we can't say that the Hyperlite is the best value. Buy it over the XLite if you can't stand the crinkle factor of the NeoAir pads and prefer longitudinal baffling.

Conclusion

The Hyperlite is a great pad for lightweight backpacking, throwing into your travel pack "just in case", alpine climbing, and thru-hiking. It is competitively warm for the weight and is moderately comfortable. The narrow tapering at the foot reduce weight but make it less comfortable than other alternatives. While it isn't the best for casual camping, the Hyperlite is an excellent alternative to Therm-a-Rest's NeoAir series pads if you want comparable comfort, weight, and warmth.